


i brought a stick to a gun fight

by where_havealltheflowers_gone



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: 5+1 Things, First Kiss, M/M, Mutual Pining, stan is 100 percent DONE with this shit, this is like not good and im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 08:34:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12527308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/where_havealltheflowers_gone/pseuds/where_havealltheflowers_gone
Summary: "And I'm stuck with my tongue tiedI run, but I can't hide what's always there."Or, 5 times Richie tries to tell or show Eddie how he feels (after consulting Bev) +1 time Eddie takes pity on him because he's already figured it out (with the help of Stan).





	i brought a stick to a gun fight

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from and fic very heavily inspired by She (For Liz) by Parachute, which is the song Richie mopily listens to when he can't figure out how to tell Eddie that he loves him. 
> 
> also, i put some options on tumblr about which of 4 reddie ideas i had needed written first and this one was the winner. sorry it took so long!!!!
> 
> oh, and i might not always explicitly say it, but i always imagine the losers club as aged up when i write them, no matter what i'm writing. so they're like 16/17 in this. 
> 
> hope ya like it!

Richie blew a huff of air out of his mouth and fixed his hair for the third time in the mirror.

"Oh my god," Bev groaned from where she was leaning against the bathroom doorframe. She popped her lollipop out of her mouth. "How many times do you need to do that?"

"Until it's perfect," Richie grumbled back at her, tugging on his shirt. "Shit, why are all of my clothes too small?"

Bev appeared behind him, a black and red flannel in her hands. "Here," she offered it to him, helping to straighten it once he had it on. She wrapped her arms around his waist, coming up on her tiptoes to hook her chin on his shoulder. "Eddie loves you in this one."

Richie sighed and met her eyes in the mirror. "Am I that obvious?"

"Painfully so," Bev answered with a grin and a squeeze of her arms, "to everyone except for Eddie." She pecked a kiss on his jaw, the only part of his face she could reach from this angle even on the very tip of her toes. "Now come on," she urged, lollipop back in her mouth as she headed for Richie's room. "We're always late."

Richie sat on the edge of his bed beside Bev, both of them pulling on their beaten up converse. "I'm gonna tell him. Today."

Bev rolled her eyes and used her tongue to shift her sucker to the side of her mouth so she could respond. "You say that everyday," she reminded him, grunting when her shoe wouldn't come on easily without being untied.

"This time I mean it."

"Yeah, okay," Bev answered, not convinced. She stood, grabbing Richie's leather jacket off the floor and sliding into it easily. She slurped around her lollipop as she took it out of her mouth. "How do I look?" she asked, striking a pose.

"Like a lesbian," Richie teased, grabbing the sucker and putting it in his mouth. He took off for the stairs. "

You little shit," Bev squealed, chasing after him.

\----------

"Ugh," Eddie exclaimed about twenty minutes prior to Richie and Bev's conversation, ripping his shirt over his head and throwing it into the ever growing pile at his feet. "Why does everything look so stupid?"

"It doesn't," Stanley answered from where he was laying on Eddie's bed, his head hanging off the side and holding a comic above his face.

"You haven't even looked at the last three," Eddie grumbled, his voice muffled as he dug through his closet.

"You could wear literally anything and Richie would still look at you like you hung the fucking moon."

Eddie held a long sleeved, light blue shirt up to his torso before starting to put it on. "He does not look at me like that."

Stan flipped a page and snorted. "Whatever you say."

Eddie whipped around, shirt not even buttoned. "Does he?" he demanded.

Stan glanced at him, sighed, and threw his comic to the side. He swung his legs down and stood, walking to his friend. He started to button Eddie's shirt. "Of course he does, you idiot." He spun Eddie around so he could look at himself in his full length mirror. "He always has," Stan continued as he smoothed the shoulders on the shirt. "Wear this one. You look cute."

Eddie fiddled with the bottom of the shirt, debating tucking it into his khakis, as Stan sat on the floor to tug his shoes on. "You really think Richie likes me?" he asked after a long minute of studying his reflection.

Stanley rolled his eyes. "The two of you, I swear," he grouched under his breath. "He's more obvious than Ben used to be with Bev."

"He is not!" Eddie protested, turning away from the mirror to grab his own shoes. "Ben had goo-goo eyes."

"Yeah," Stan agreed, "and so does Richie." Stan got to his feet and grabbed his jacket, sliding it on. "Just pay closer attention, dude, seriously."

Eddie thought that over for a minute. "Yeah, okay." He took the hand Stanley offered to pull him to his feet.

\----------

1.

The rest of the losers were already waiting outside the theater by the time Richie and Bev ran up, out of breath with huge grins on their faces.

"I don't know why the rest of us bother showing up on time if we're just going to end up waiting on you two bozos," Stan grouched, hands tucked deep in his pockets.

"Yeah," Eddie agreed, the tip of his nose going red from the cold, "And we could hear you screaming all the way down the street."

"Awe, don't be mad, Eds," Richie quipped after he caught his breath. He slung an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders. "Ya know how girls can be; hair has to be perfect and all."

"Oh, yeah," Bev said sarcastically, "it was me who had to have the perfect hair."

"Y-yeah, Richie," Bill joined in, smiling. "We all know how long it t-t-t-t-"

"Takes you to get ready," Stan finished, flawlessly picking up where Bill was unable to continue.

"Worse than anyone I've ever seen," Mike added, elbowing Richie in the side.

"I'm wounded," Richie exaggerated. "Eddie, defend my honor!"

Eddie snorted and smiled. "You have honor? Where've you been hiding it all these years?"

Richie grabbed his chest in shock. "Eddie spaghetti!" he howled, bringing his other arm up to wrap around Eddie's neck. "The love of my life! The light of my world! How could you hurt me so?"

Eddie ducked out of Richie's hold and scurried away from him. "Don't call me that."

"But you are the love of his life, Eddie," Bev said playfully.

"Yeah, who else would put up with him?" Ben asked.

"Shut up, guys," Richie grouched, suddenly annoyed, his red face having little to do with the cold. "Aren't we late for the movie?" He shoved passed his friends, grabbing Eddie's arm and dragging him into the theater, the rest of the group following in behind them.

"Why are you mad?" Eddie asked him quietly while they waited in line to buy their tickets.

Richie shrugged. "Some things aren't funny."

"Lots of people would put up with you, Rich," Eddie said gently, bumping his shoulder against Richie's arm.

Richie glanced down at him and smirked. "Well, you're the only one that matters, Eds." He stepped up to the ticket booth. "Two for Aladdin, please," he told the girl behind the counter, handing over a wadded up bunch of bills.

"No, Richie, I have money," Eddie protested.

Richie handed a ticket to him. "What kinda date would I be if I made you get your own ticket, Edwardo?" He looped his arm around Eddie's shoulders and directed him to the concession stand. "You can buy me a box of sweet tarts if it'll make you feel better."

"You'll rot your teeth," Eddie complained, but he paid for the candy anyway, butterflies in his stomach as soon as Richie called it a date. He tried to tell himself it didn't count because everyone was with them, but he was starting to wonder if Stanley was right when Richie winked at him while he devoured the entire box of candy in one go.

\----------

2.

"Hey," Richie said as they were picking their seats. "Save me a seat next to you," he stage whispered to Eddie. "I gotta piss." He took off down the aisle before Eddie could respond.

"Okay," Eddie mumbled mostly to himself, letting everyone go into the row before him, taking the seat one down from the end. He leaned over. "Bev," he whispered harshly across his friends. "What's going on with Richie?"

"What d'you mean?" she whispered back.

Someone a row back shushed at them, but Eddie ignored it. "He's acting funny. He paid for my ticket."

"Maybe you're dating," Ben interjected.

"I'm sure that's what Richie wants," Stan said pointedly.

"Guys," Mike said irritably. "The movie."

"It's just the snack st-st-stand ad," Bill pointed out.

"I'm gonna go check on him," Eddie said to no one in particular, standing from his seat. He found his way to bathroom easily enough, pushing the door open.

"-just gotta say it," Richie was saying. Eddie peaked around the corner, seeing Richie looking in the mirror, hands braced on either side of the sink in front of him. "You just gotta say-"

"Who are you talking to?" Eddie asked, making himself known.

"Holy fucking shit!" Richie yelled, whipping around and grabbing at his heart in surprise. "Don't fucking sneak up on me, you asshole!"

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Who are you talking to?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Myself, obviously," Richie grumbled, turning back around to wash his hands.

"About what?" Eddie asked as he leaned against the wall.

"Oh, nothing in particular," Richie answered casually, shaking his hands and drying them on his pants.

"Then why talk to yourself?"

"Well, Eds, sometimes it's the only way one can have a halfway intelligent conversation."

Eddie snorted. "Sounded important."

"Yeah, well," Richie responded, messing with his hair and studying his reflection. "Maybe it was."

"What's wrong?"

Richie scrunched his face and turned to face Eddie. "Nothing." He sighed, sagging against the counter and crossing his arms. "Have you ever liked someone?" he asked quietly, head down, looking at Eddie through his hair.

"What, like a crush?"

"No, more than a crush. Like, maybe in love with them."

Eddie shrugged. "I dunno. Why? You're in love?"

Richie flipped his hair out of his eyes. He tapped his shoes against the shiny tiles on the floor. "Maybe." He didn't look at Eddie. "Eds, I-"

A group of teenage boys rushed in, chattering loudly about the movie they had just seen. Richie edged his way around the crowd and pushed out the door, Eddie following him.

"Hey," Eddie said, grabbing Richie's arm. "What were you gonna say?"

Richie studied his friend's face. "I just rea-"

"Hey, guys!" Ben hollered to them from the door to their theater. "The movie's about to start!"

"We're coming," Richie called to him. "I'll tell ya later, Eddie, okay?" he said to the shorter boy in front of him.

"Yeah, okay," Eddie responded and followed Richie back in to watch their movie.

\----------

3.

Richie was trying to ignore the way his heart was pounding in his ears as he grabbed for Eddie's hand in the dark.

Eddie squeezed back, his heart just as loud.

\----------

4.

Their hands were still connected when the group walked home, swinging between them. If anyone else noticed, they didn't mention it.

"I don't want to go home," Ben half-whined to his friends. Everyone shared the sentiment.

"We could go to my house," Richie offered. "My dad took off again, so my mom's probably passed out by now.

" "I'd h-h-h-h-h-" Bill tried.

"Have to call your parents," Mike finished for him. "My grandpa already said I could when I left."

"I told my mom I was staying at your house tonight anyway," Eddie added. It was the first thing he'd said since Richie had taken his hand during the movie.

Richie smirked down at him. "Mrs. K's just using you to get close to me."

"Shut up," Eddie grouched, dropping Richie's hand.

"Woah, woah," Richie protested, groping for Eddie's hand when he shoved it in his pant's pocket. "My hand is super cold, Eds, and yours is the only thing keeping it from getting frostbit." He grabbed Eddie's wrist and pulled the hand out of Eddie's pocket, intertwining their fingers again. "Wouldn't want me to lose my fingers, would you?"

"No mom jokes if you wanna hold hands," Eddie threatened.

Richie groaned. "'S gonna be a big sacrifice, but I think I can manage."

"And don't call me Eds."

Richie let go of Eddie's hand. "Well that's something I simply can't agree to." He wrapped his arm around Eddie's neck and pulled him close. "Guess I'll have to settle for this instead," he said, grinning.

"This is good too," Eddie admitted quietly.

Richie stopped in his tracks, his smile huge as he looked down at Eddie. "God, you are just so-"

"Hey, lovebirds!" Bev yelled from where the group had gotten way ahead of them. "Hurry the fuck up! We're freezing!"

"Wear more fucking layers next time!" Richie yelled back, walking again. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Fuckin' assholes ruining everything," he mumbled under his breath.

Eddie couldn't help but smile as he struggled to keep up with Richie's pace.

\----------

5.

Richie unlocked the front door to his house, glancing around briefly. He motioned to his friends on the porch that it was safe to come in. He walked to the back room that his mom- and his dad when he was around- used for a bedroom and found it empty. He went and cranked up the thermostat. "No one's here," he shouted to the group.

Everyone immediately claimed their usual spots in the living room, Eddie going to get pillows and blankets out of the hall closet.

"Woot woot," Bev supplied, flipping on the lights in the kitchen and immediately opened the cabinets.

Richie came in to find her ripping open a family sized bag of chips. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Hungry?"

She grinned at him and got a bowl down from the top of the fridge to dump the chips in. "Starving." She grabbed a chip and crunched down on it. "So," she started. "Did you tell him?"

Richie shook his head, taking a chip of his own. "We keep getting interrupted."

"How hard could it be to say 'Eddie, I'm absolutely in love with you'?"

"It has to be," Richie sighed as he thought, "I dunno, more than that."

Bev rolled her eyes. "You're overthinking it."

"He'll wanna talk about it, okay. I know Eddie." Richie chewed on another chip thoughtfully. "The timing has to be just right."

Bev rolled her eyes again. "Whatever," she said. "You're only hurting yourself." She flounced away, bowl in her arms.

Richie joined the group moments later and settled on the floor next to Eddie, who was already laying down and had a blanket draped over him. "Are you going to sleep?"

Eddie didn't bother opening his eyes. "I'm tired," he griped, "And it's cold in here."

"I turned the thermostat up," Richie said, "so it should warm up soon."

Eddie smiled a little. "Thanks, Rich."

"You wanna..." Richie trailed off, swallowing and glancing around to see Ben and Bill already mostly asleep on the couch while Bev, Mike, and Stanley were whispering to each other and passing around their snack. Richie lowered his voice and moved in closer to Eddie, "You wanna sleep in my room?"

Eddie snuggled into his pillow. "Nah," he responded easily. "'M already comfortable."

"Oh," Richie said. "Okay. I'll, uh, see you in the morning then."

"'Night, Rich."

Richie glanced at Eddie's form before he climbed the stairs to go to his own room.

A few seconds later, a pillow hit Eddie in the back. "What the fu-" he sputtered, sitting up.

"That was a hint, dumbass," Stan whispered to him, his voice harsh in the quiet of the house.

"What are you fucking talking about?" Eddie grouched at him. "You're an asshole, I was almost asleep."

"He wanted you to sleep in his room, Eddie," Bev explained simply.

Eddie blinked. "He did?"

"He asked, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but-" Another pillow cut off his words, this one hitting him in the face.

"Go up there!" Stan all but yelled at him.

"Okay, Jesus," Eddie griped, standing and wearing his blanket like a cape.

"Good luck!" Mike called happily as Eddie went up the steps.

\----------

+1

Eddie knocked softly on the door.

"Come in?" Richie questioned from inside.

\Eddie pushed the door open, his blanket trailing behind him as he came fully into the room. "I was, uh, wondering if I could sleep in here?"

"Uh, yeah, dude, totally." Richie was already in bed, his glasses laying on the bedside table. He slid closer to the wall, making room for Eddie.

Eddie got into bed next to him, draping his own blanket over Richie's comforter. "Thanks," he said, settling on his side. Richie's bed was so tiny, their noses were almost touching.

"No problemo," Richie said. He paused. "So, Eds, listen. About what I was saying in the bathroom earlier..."

"Yeah?" Eddie prompted.

"I was," Richie stopped himself and shook his head. "You see," he tried again, "the thing is... Shit. Look, Eddie, for a long time I've had these feelings."

"Uh huh."

"And these feelings are... well, they're, ya know, they're there."

"Right," Eddie said, amused.

"And I've tried to ignore them, but they're just... still there."

"Richie," Eddie said, trying not to laugh at how nervous Richie was.

"Oh my god," Richie griped and buried his face in his pillow. "I know you know. I know I'm too freaking obvious for you to not know."

"Richie," Eddie said again. He brought a hand up to twist in Richie's hair. "Rich, look at me." Richie obliged. "You love me?"

Richie nodded helplessly, a pout forming on his face.

Eddie wanted to kiss him. "Why didn't you just say so?" he asked with a grin.

"I was trying to," Richie whined.

"Richie," Eddie repeated. He leaned closer, using the hand he still had on the back of Richie's head to pull Richie to him.

Their lips met, Richie's chapped and dry. One of Richie's hands came up to grip Eddie's hipbone briefly before he brought it to Eddie's face. Richie parted his lips first, coaxing Eddie to do the same. He slipped his tongue into Eddie's mouth. Eddie pulled back after a minute. "Wow," Richie breathed.

"Yeah," Eddie agreed.

Richie stroked his thumb over Eddie's bottom lip. "So does this mean that you... I mean do you.."

"Yeah," Eddie said again. "Yeah, I love you too."

Richie's face broke out in a full on grin. "Awesome. Can we make out more?"

Eddie grinned back and nodded, reminding himself to thank Stan and Bev in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> if you're partial to tumbling, you should come hang out with me: https://bleep-bleep-richie.tumblr.com/


End file.
